Author Topic: What did you do to your bike today ? (Read 3261675 times)

75 honda · « **Reply #150 on:** November 21, 2009, 03:49:20 PM »

well today my new gears came for my 750 so I put those in, put the cases back together, everything spun freely and looked fine. Put the motor back in the frame, wired it back up. put it all back together and then put the shifter lever on. Pushed it and nothing happened. Pulled up on it and nothing happened. It's like it is stuck in neutral or something. Any ideas?

Industrial Cafe · « **Reply #151 on:** November 21, 2009, 03:54:11 PM »

75 honda- I'd make a new thread for that.

I got the gsxr1000 lower tree in the mail today and ground off the steering damper tab.

gonna do the 'squirley' front end deal.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #152 on:** November 21, 2009, 04:27:39 PM »

Quote from: fastbroshi on November 21, 2009, 08:22:41 AM

I have to admit, if I wanted a power cruiser I think the Triumph would top my list, that or a VMax. But I'd get a sportbike before I threw a supercharger on a Rocket. I don't want to have my balance putting me on my back when I roll on the throttle of 200+hp. Just feels uh, safer, to be leaning forward over the rear wheel. Not to mention the basic geometry of the frames, sportbike vs. cruiser. Sounds cool to have the ability to kick back and chill or get jiggy with it though.

Given cruisers' straightline stability, what happens in a loss of control, tankslapper type situation? Are they harder to reign in? Or does this just never happen on them? Maybe a question for another forum, I dunno.

Ah, but there's the rub. There are cruisers, and there are cruisers. You can't compare a wobbly Harley or XV Yamaha (or VMax) to a rocket with a wide sweeping brush stroke, the Triumph actually handles quite well, the only limiting factor is (on mine) the footboards, which touch down in "moderate" bends. The Rocket shares some components with the Triumph sports bike range (front forks and brakes in particular) and was built to handle, not just to look good, and maybe that's why I've seen 140(+) MPH speeds with no hint of "tank slappers" etc. They are a very stable bike indeed, and that's why a supercharger is an ideal way of fully exploiting the bike's in-built design qualities.

Mine is the up-market "Classic", but the standard Rocket III has footpegs which allow better clearance, (nothing else hangs low enough to "touch down", although obviously you won't get your knee down like on a sports bike) but it's a "horses for courses thing, I didn't want a sports bike, because at 49 years old and carrying many injuries, I consider comfort my main priority as most of my riding now is doing long (400+ mile) trips on a regular basis. The rocket is a heavy bike, but it's low centre of gravity belies this fact, and while the bike is physically huge, (about a foot longer than my CB750's) it's very easy to move around, moreso than my BMW K1100LT which is very "top heavy". If you ever get an opportunity to ride one, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! Cheers, Terry.

Don R · « **Reply #153 on:** November 21, 2009, 05:14:20 PM »

Mine didn't want to run so I took off on my brothers bike. The price of free storage!

myhondas · « **Reply #154 on:** November 21, 2009, 05:19:55 PM »

Well, they may be anywhere from 5 to 16 years old, but as far as I'm concerned, the Honda Magna 3rd generation bikes can hold their own with the r3, vtx1300, valkyrie, but add some real twisties, and it is flat gone. One of the best curvey road bikes out there...Big V4 that just wants to run.....from a mag evaluation......
"Crack open the throttle and the Magna barks once, then is flat gone. Unless you've been launched from the deck of the USS Independence, you've probably never experienced anything like the Magna's double-overhead-cam 90-degree V-four engine.
If you tried to rev any other custom this high, you'd be looking at a lot of hot oily pieces and a big hole in the crankcase. But the Magna's as reliable as a sledgehammer, and smooth enough to take you cross-country without having to get your spine realigned at the end of the trip.
Cast five-spoke wheels, a chromed four-into-four exhaust system, and chromed and polished touches like the cam covers, engine sidecovers, and fender brackets make the Magna shine. And your choice of black and two hot, scalloped two-tone paint schemes are pretty easy on the eyes too - making the Magna the ultimate iron fist inside a velvet glove.

The Magna. If you can't handle it, you don't have to turn the key. But trust me, Once you do, you'll never have to apologize. "

Specifications VF750C Magna
engine 748cc DOHC liquid-cooled 90 degree V-4
88 Horsepower
5-speed transmission
final drive o-ring sealed chain
seat height 28.0 inches
wheelbase 65.0 inches
fuel capacity 3.6 gallons
dry weight 504.8 pounds
1/4 Mile 12.1 sec. 110mph

OR IN OTHER WORDS....ONE KICK-A$$ MACHINE
WILL RUN RIGHT ALONGSIDE A VALKYRIE

clarkjh · « **Reply #155 on:** November 21, 2009, 05:25:05 PM »

Crys and I bundled up and went for a nice 100km ride tonight on the wing. I hope the snow holds off for a while yet. 6C but it is still nice if you dress for it.

James

CycleRanger · « **Reply #156 on:** November 21, 2009, 09:01:57 PM »

I spent an hour or so stripping the paint from my swingarm and then sprayed it with a coat of primer.
Then I tried to figure out why when I painted my chain guard last week I got terrible orange-peel.
Sanded that to prep for repaint.

Oh yeah, and I sorted the '75 CB750 parts & pieces "grab bag" I got for $15 from eBay last week.

CB650 Wolf · « **Reply #157 on:** November 21, 2009, 09:20:16 PM »

I put the freshly cleaned carbs back on mine. Tried to start it but it won't. Its late now so I'll try again tomorrow.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #158 on:** November 21, 2009, 10:47:26 PM »

I installed the valves in Al Harper's ported and polished CB550 head yesterday (beautiful work, I must ask him who did it) but sadly there was a spring seat missing for the internal valve spring (anyone got a spare?) so I couldn't finish assembling his engine.

I'm limping at the moment, months ago I hurt my foot kick starting my 836cc race engine, and I'm going in for X Rays tomorrow, as the doc thinks I might have stress fractures in my ankle. Great. I'm sitting here with my feet up, but that's ok, it's raining outside so I'm not hanging out for a ride.

I did go for a quick lap on the Laverda yesterday but the right side gear shifter messed with my sore foot, then I burned my leg on the exhaust pipe (wearing shorts of course, it was pretty hot before the rains came) so I was happy to drive my son's old Ford to the pub, but the fuel gauge doesn't work and I ran outta gas, so I had to call the auto club and ask them to come get me going. All in all, a pretty craap day, ha ha!

Ryan 550k · « **Reply #159 on:** November 22, 2009, 10:10:50 AM »

Quote from: Terry in Australia on November 21, 2009, 10:47:26 PM

I installed the valves in Al Harper's ported and polished CB550 head yesterday (beautiful work, I must ask him who did it) but sadly there was a spring seat missing for the internal valve spring (anyone got a spare?) so I couldn't finish assembling his engine.

I'm limping at the moment, months ago I hurt my foot kick starting my 836cc race engine, and I'm going in for X Rays tomorrow, as the doc thinks I might have stress fractures in my ankle. Great. I'm sitting here with my feet up, but that's ok, it's raining outside so I'm not hanging out for a ride.

I did go for a quick lap on the Laverda yesterday but the right side gear shifter messed with my sore foot, then I burned my leg on the exhaust pipe (wearing shorts of course, it was pretty hot before the rains came) so I was happy to drive my son's old Ford to the pub, but the fuel gauge doesn't work and I ran outta gas, so I had to call the auto club and ask them to come get me going. All in all, a pretty craap day, ha ha!

Holy Moly Man! What a day

Did you at least get to the pub???

mystic_1 · « **Reply #160 on:** November 22, 2009, 10:31:30 PM »

Today (well technically yesterday), I set my shirt on fire with a 4.5" angle grinder.

mystic_1

clarkjh · « **Reply #161 on:** November 23, 2009, 03:40:48 AM »

Quote from: mystic_1 on November 22, 2009, 10:31:30 PM

Today (well technically yesterday), I set my shirt on fire with a 4.5" angle grinder.

mystic_1

Lol. I did something similar when I was a kid. I was using a cutting torch and had a piece of slag land on my sneaker. Got kind of "warm" between a couple of toes.

James

Hasenkopf · « **Reply #162 on:** November 25, 2009, 02:23:03 PM »

pulled my ebay frame inside, for project "bedroom build" (yes, it is in my bedroom, the only place I have at the moment)

Dave-and-his-550 · « **Reply #163 on:** November 25, 2009, 02:56:43 PM »

Cleaned and degreased my new cam cover. Removed the rockers and shafts to get out gunk and dirt. Painted it Duplicolor aluminum, will be installing the cam shaft tonight and bolting on the freshly painted cam cover as well

bucky katt · « **Reply #164 on:** November 25, 2009, 03:09:00 PM »

i discovered that 4 1/2 year old tires, no matter how nice they were new, are kind of hairy when cornering fast

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #165 on:** November 25, 2009, 03:14:02 PM »

Quote from: R550 on November 22, 2009, 10:10:50 AM

Holy Moly Man! What a day
Did you at least get to the pub???

Yeah mate, luckily I ran outta gas on the way home from the Pub, so I got a couple "down range", ha ha!

clarkjh · « **Reply #166 on:** November 25, 2009, 03:18:37 PM »

Quote from: bucky katt on November 25, 2009, 03:09:00 PM

i discovered that 4 1/2 year old tires, no matter how nice they were new, are kind of hairy when cornering fast

Just like new un-scuffed ones.

James

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #167 on:** November 25, 2009, 03:27:07 PM »

Well my beautiful classic Laverda is now on EBay so I'm not riding it in case I break something or crash it, the battery is flat on my Suzuki GS1000S after months of sitting neglected in my crowded garage, I need to get some smaller main jets for my 29mm Keihin CR carbs on my K1 with the 836cc race engine, my K0 is not registered, my GS1000E needs a new ignition and my CB750F2 hasn't been started for a couple of years now, so I had no choice but ride the mighty Triumph Rocket III on my weekly 400 mile round trip to see my folks. I rode up yesterday, and I'm riding back today, after pretending to do some work.

Great weather, (around 80 degrees F) bright sunshine, and the bark of that 2300cc monster engine singing joyfully in deep baritone thru the (barely muffled) fishtail exhaust, it really doesn't get much better than this, ha ha!

fastbroshi · « **Reply #168 on:** November 25, 2009, 10:43:39 PM »

I considered finishing up the wiring on my Hondaman ignition, but damn I want some of that powerbraid sheathing to replace the plastic corrugated tubing crap I bought at Vato-zone. Unwrapping a mile of black tape to get at wires for repairs and getting that gunk on my hands is bothersome.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #169 on:** November 26, 2009, 12:02:19 AM »

Well I'm sure all my American friends will be happy to know that the weather turned to #$%*e 10 minutes from home, thunder, lightning, the sky went black, the wind was so strong that it blew my combined weight of around 1000 pounds like a rag doll, and the rain crashed in with biblical proportions.

It was so bad that every car just pulled off the freeway and parked (with their lights on for safety sake) so I had the whole freeway to myself, it was just a pity that I couldn't see 3 feet in front of me, I was riding totally by psychic radar, I was like the blind guy in that rock musical "Tommy". I had wet weather gear in my saddle bags, but the rain came in so quickly and so violently, that I was soaked to the bone in 1 minute, so there was no point stopping to put on wet weather gear over wet clothes, so I just rode on into the darkness......... I made it home in one piece, and like the pope, kissed the driveway......... and almost drowned!

steam-powered man · « **Reply #170 on:** November 26, 2009, 07:00:28 AM »

over the last few days i installed all the parts after my swingarm rebuild and sanded/painted brackets for the hard bags. yesterday i polished/installed the grab bar and rear rack then removed the hard bags from the frames. polished/installed the frames. next up is replacing the padding inside the bags, then cleaning up all wiring. twisted-wire conections with black tape everywhere.

72 yellow · « **Reply #171 on:** November 26, 2009, 07:16:49 AM »

Wife has the turkey in the oven, so I went out to the garage and drained the carbs, put the battery tender on, etc. Covered the bike up, said "good night, see you in the spring."

mystic_1 · « **Reply #172 on:** November 26, 2009, 07:31:31 AM »

Today I began clearing and prepping the space where I will, at long last, begin reassemebling my motor.

Wife is letting me do it in the basement family room rather than the cold-ass garage. God, I love her

mystic_1

CycleRanger · « **Reply #173 on:** November 26, 2009, 07:33:56 AM »

Quote from: bucky katt on November 25, 2009, 03:09:00 PM

i discovered that 4 1/2 year old tires, no matter how nice they were new, are kind of hairy when cornering fast

When I went to check out my bike before buying I was looking it over and talking with the owner.
He was telling me where he got the bike and the work he'd done to it.
I could tell it had sat for some time before he got it.
I looked at the tires which were rock-hard with cracked sidewalls and had to be at least 15+ years old and mentioned to the owner "Wow, those tires are shot."
His response was something like "Why? There's lots of tread left."

After I purchased the bike I had to ride it about 20 miles home.
I kept it under 50 and fortunately there were few curves.....

stnick · « **Reply #174 on:** November 26, 2009, 06:42:19 PM »

I looked a little closer and believe my chrome is in better shape than I thought. I'm purchasing parts I know I need to replace and best of all, I'm remembering all the people and places associated with this bike.

Nick

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Author Topic: What did you do to your bike today ? (Read 3261675 times)

Ryan 550k

stnick